Metallic railway-tie.



J. M. LEVIER.

METALLIC RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1911.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Witnesses Attorney:

JOHN M. LEVIER, OF GLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

METALLIC l RAILWAY-TIE.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Application filed May 1, 1 911. Serial No. 624,338.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I. JOHN M. linvinn, a citizen of the United States. residing at Clarksburg. in the county of Harrison and State of Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful h'letallic llailwaylie, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic railway ties and its principal object is to provide a tie of this character capable of yielding when subjected to theweight of a car so as to thus cushion the rails and render the track as elastic as where ordinary wooden ties are employed.

A further object to provide a tie of this type which is formed of but few partsand whichcan be readily constructed. V

A further object is to provide improved means for securing rails to the tie.

Vith the. foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed I it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention has been shown. In said drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a tie embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 3 is an enlarged trans verse section through the tie.

Referring to the figures by characters-of reference 1 designates the base member of the tie, the same being preferably formed of heavy sheet metal provided with upstanding longitudinal folds 2 cooperating with the base to form a central longitudinal channel 3. A transversely extending supporting rib 4 is formed within each end portion of the channel 3 and tongues 5 extend from the ends of the base member and are arranged close to these ribs 4. Another stop rib 6 isarra-nged transversely within the central portion of the channel. Transverse corrugations 7 may be formed at any points desired upon the bottom ofthe base member, these corrugations serving to engage the road bed and thus hold the tie against creeping.

' The top member 8 of the tie is preferably formed of a metal bar similar in contour to an ordinary railroad rail. the base flanges 9 of this member being disposed between the upstanding portions 2 of the base member whilethe head of the bar projects above said upstanding portions 2 and has rail receiving recesses 10 in the upper portion thereof and at proper distances apart, one wall of each of these recesses overhanging the bottom thereof as shown at 11 so as to engage one of the base flanges of the rail 12 supported by the tie. The end portions of the bar 8 are designed to bear on the-ribs at and as these ribs are higher than the stop rib (3,

it will be apparent that the middle portion of the member 8 is normally spaced from the rib 6.

Tongues 13 extend from the ends of the member 8 and are designed to fit snugly upon the tongues 5, bolts 14 or the like being utilized for the purpose of securing the tongues together and thus holding the two members 8 and 1 against displacement relative to each other.

The head portion of the member 8 is preferably thickened under the recesses 10, as

indicated at 15, thus reinforcing the tie at these points where the greatest strain is receive v Pivotally connected to the member .8 adjacent each recess 10 is a jaw 16 having an arm 17 extending therefrom and designed to swing iipwardly above the top face of the member 8.

in using the tie, the rails to be fastened are inserted into the recesses 10 so that one base flange of each rail will loe lapped by the overhanging wall of the recess in which the rail is seated. In order to facilitate the insertion of the rails into the recesses, one wall of each recess is preferably inclined as shown at 18. After the rails have been properly seated, the jaws 16 are swung into engagement with the other base flanges of the rails and the arms 17 are hammered across the top of the tie memberS and then forced in the direction of the engaged rail so as to cause the jaw to bind tightly upon the adjacent rail, itbeing understood that the arm, by lapping the member 8, will hold the jaw against displacement relative to the rail.

WVhen a load is applied to the rail. 12. the

tie member Swill yield so as to thus cushion the rails, this yielding action continuing until the middle portion of the member 8 contacts with the rib 6. Any further yieldlQO I ing of the upper member 8 will occur between the ends of the member 8 and the rib 6 but it is to be understood that such additional yielding will only take place when the tie is subjected to a load far in excess of that ordinarily contemplated;

It will be apparent that a tie such as described can' be manufactured at comparatively slight cost and although formed en.-

tirely of metal willhave all of the yielding qualities of an ordinary wooden tie.

As shown in the drawings the jaws 16 are arranged at the same sides of vthe openings in the tie.. In building a track, therefore. it has been found desirable to arrange each tie oppositelyv to the adjoining ones so that the jaws on one tie will engage the right hand base flanges of the rails while the jaws on the next succeeding tie will engage the flanges at the left sides of the rails. The rails will thus be firmly anchored to the ties and spreadingthereof will be posit-ively prevented.

What is claimed is 1. A metallic railway tie including a base member having upstanding terminal portions, and a top member secured atv its ends upon said upstanding portions.

2. A metallic railway tie including a base member, a top member bearing solely at its .ends upon the base member, there being a continuous space between said bearing portions, and a stop element upon the base member and adjacent the center thereof.

3. A metallic railway tie including a base.

member having a longitudinal" channel, a

top member yieldably mounted within the channel and supported solely at its ends by the base member, and means upon the base member for limiting the yielding act-ion of the top member.

4. A metallic railway tie including a channeled base member, a top member yield-- ingly mounted therein and supported solely at its ends by the base member, and means upon the top member remote from the ends thereof for engaging rails.

5. A metallic railway tie including a yieldable rail supporting member, nonyielding supports for the end portions thererail, a rail engaging member pivotally' 60 said member-for engaging the tie to hold mounted adjacent the recess, and means on the member in engagement with the rail.

'7. In a metallic railway tie, the combination with a rail supporting member having a rail receiving recess, onewall of the recess being inclined-to lap and engage a flange of the rail, of a rail engaging jaw pivotally connected to said member, andf means integral with said jaw and bendable into en- 70,

gagement with said member to hold the jaw in engagement with a flange of the rail.

- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN M. LEVIER.

Witnesses:

HOMER M. PRESTON, P. A. WISEMAN.

so of, and means below the member for limit- 

